This is not at all exaggeration. Without the horses, mules, and donkeys that first came to North America, the early colonists would not have been able to survive the harsh climate, the West would not have been settled, farmers in the Midwest would not have been able to survive, and Native Americans would not have developed equestrian-based methods of hunting and warfare without the use of the mighty horse.

The equines of early America were hardy creatures that often had to fend for themselves. The rugged landscape and challenging climates, combined with scarce food and lack of veterinary care, shaped these horses and donkeys into tough, resilient breeds.

Hundreds of years later, the so-called “heritage” equine breeds are under threat.

Competition from the tractor and automobile, along with two World Wars, helped wipe out equine populations around the world early in the 20th century. While a number of them survived the industrial age, some fared better than others. The heritage breeds that remain are some of the rarest and hardiest equines in the world.

Fight to Preserve

In 2006, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization estimated that an average of two domestic animal breeds are lost worldwide each week. In the U.S., The Livestock Conservancy is fighting to stem this tide. One of these efforts spawned the creation of the Endangered Equine Alliance, which held its first summit in 2018.

“The Endangered Equine Summit came about in response to a decades-long decline in horse breed registrations, not only for rare breeds, but also for more popular breeds, like Arabians and Saddlebreds,” says Charlene R. Couch, Ph.D., senior program manager for The Livestock Conservancy. “The economic challenges for all equine breeders are significant, but they are even more so for those who breed endangered horses and donkeys.”

According to Couch, ancient breeds such as the Akhal-Teke and Caspian, which have been human partners for thousands of years, are now gravely endangered.

“Even the iconic Cleveland Bay, Clydesdale, and Lipizzan horses are rare,” she says. “And fewer than 100 traditional Morgans—horses whose pedigrees are absent of outcrosses after 1930—were registered in 2016. In our lifetime, we may bear witness to equine breed extinction.”

If the history of these breeds isn’t enough to inspire their preservation, their ability to contribute to modern equine gene pools should be.

“Heritage-breed horses are not just useful and beautiful—they are an irreplaceable reservoir of equine genetic diversity,” Couch says. “These animals offer valuable traits that were developed over centuries, such as stamina, unique gaits, hardiness, sound feet, and good skeletal structure. Many were important in the formation of America’s more popular breeds, like the American Quarter Horse. In many cases, the ancestral sources of these heritage breeds no longer exist, and that breed cannot be recreated. They are a true genetic treasure, and every loss could be significant for the future of the horse industry.”

The Endangered Equine Alliance

Shortly after the 2018 Summit, more than 50 equine breed associations, plus scientists, sporting groups, and horse industry representatives united to form the Endangered Equine Alliance. The Livestock Conservancy facilitates the exchange of information among Alliance members and serves as a central outlet for educational resources that support equine breed conservation.

So far, the Alliance has accomplished some significant goals, according to Couch.

“We have created a germplasm bank for endangered horse breeds,” she says. “The collection is a sort of ‘doomsday’ vault of genetic materials for breed conservation emergencies. Through the Alliance’s network, we facilitated the banking of semen from Newfoundland Ponies, the Marsh Tacky, Akhal-Teke, and Caspian horses so far, with other breed collections on the horizon.”

The Alliance has also worked to provide breeders with discounts from companies for semen and tissue collection of endangered equine breeds; published the Manual of Methods for Preservation of Valuable Equine Genetics, designed to help owners learn more about new reproduction technologies and how to use them to save breeds and bloodlines; hosted webinars and question-and-answer sessions with equine experts on DNA testing, advanced reproduction techniques, and marketing; and developed an Endangered Equine Alliance website for sharing articles and links, and a Rare Equine Breeds Facebook group that now has more than 2,000 followers worldwide.

Help from Grants

“The grant enabled The Livestock Conservancy to bring together representatives of approximately 50 endangered horse breed groups for the first summit,” Couch says. “The delegates to the Summit represented thousands of horse owners, and included participants from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. The group was tasked with identifying the leading causes of equine breed population declines, and deciding [upon] actions that could be taken to stabilize the loss of breeds.”

Through the support of the USA Equestrian Trust, experts from the greater horse community, including sporting groups, equine-assisted therapy providers, university scientists, and national associations participated in the Summit. Panelists included partners at the American Horse Council, Texas A&M University, Virginia Tech, Uppsala University, the American Endurance Ride Conference, Natural Lifemanship Equine-Assisted Therapy, Rare Breeds Survival Trust/Stallion AI Services (U.K.), the Arabian Horse Association, the National Animal Interest Alliance, and the National Driving Society.

“The vision and support of the USA Equestrian Trust was crucial in bringing together such a wide representation of members of the equine industry,” Couch says. “Together, the participants saw the potential to accomplish great things by uniting in their efforts to conserve endangered equine breeds.”

Ongoing Support

In addition to work by the Endangered Equine Alliance, The Livestock Conservancy conducts an annual census of horse and donkey breeds to monitor their population growth and declines.

“We encourage registration of horses so that their numbers can be counted,” Couch says. “We maintain a large list of breeders and breed associations to help owners and enthusiasts connect with each other, share herd genetics, or collaborate on projects.”

The Conservancy also offers a competitive microgrants program to all heritage livestock and poultry growers, including horse and donkey breeders, to help boost their capacity for breeding, raising, and selling animals. They also assist owners in saving germplasm of valuable, rare bloodlines and individuals from breeds on the Conservation Priority List through discounts, networking, and other resources.

Some current research projects include genetic studies for Suffolk Punch, American Cream Draft horses, and Poitou donkeys, with the goal of uncovering genetic information that will help guide efforts to reduce the risks of inbreeding and support effective conservation.

“The Livestock Conservancy is all about education, research, and networking of owners and breeders so that we can safeguard the future of important breeds,” Couch says. “Together with owners, breeders, and the equine community, we want to move the needle for each breed, and make a meaningful contribution to its long-term survival.”

For more, visit www.livestockconservancy.org/aboutus/endangered-equine-alliance.

This article about saving endangered horse breeds appeared in the March 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Saving Endangered Horse Breeds appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Recreational riding programs have long been an essential part of most horse breed association’s offerings, because they help attract and keep members. Program participants often praise the tracking logs as a way to keep track of time spent with their horse, and, once milestone achievements are reached, fun and useful prizes are awarded to riders.

Unfortunately, many such programs suffer from low participation levels. Breed associations would like to change that by making horse owners more aware of the diverse range of activities in which they can take part with their horse. Regardless of your chosen breed, here’s what three of the country’s top breed associations had to share about their recreational rider programs.

Why Participate in Horse Breed Recreational Riding Programs?

There are a variety of reasons a fan of a particular horse breed should participate in these recreational riding programs.

• Horse ownership is not required, and multiple horses can help earn hours toward milestone achievements.
• Participation time logs help participants keep track of their hours earned.
• While some associations make a distinction between competitive and non-competitive hours and which ones can be included, typical examples of eligible hours encompass those spent trail riding, training, participating in parades, taking part in riding lessons, etc.
• Reaching a milestone achievement level offers practical prizes different from those typically earned at horse shows.
• There is often no time limit to reach milestone goals.
• Any fees involved are usually nominal.

Examples of recreational riding programs from breed associations include:

Appaloosa Horse Club

Keri LeForce, performance department supervisor with the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC), feels that her organization’s Saddle Log/Driving Log program is of most benefit to those ApHC members who don’t regularly participate in organized events.

“It’s an opportunity for them to be involved with the association and receive recognition for the things they are doing,” she says. “It’s a way for them to maintain a connection with the breed association.”

Participating adult members pay an annual fee of just $25, while youth are assessed a one-time $20 fee. Appaloosa Horse Club membership is required and, while ownership of the horse is not necessary, hours logged must be earned while riding or driving a registered Appaloosa. Hours are tracked online or via a printable log.

All program participants receive a patch. Thereafter, chevron bars are earned at milestone achievement level. While milestone achievement levels differ between the riding and driving programs, common examples include 25, 50, 75, 100, 200, 500, 1,500, 2,000, and 2,500 hours. Examples of prizes earned in addition to the chevron bars include brushes with engraved handles and achievement-level embroidered items. Any time spent riding or driving, including competing at shows, training, and trail riding, is eligible for inclusion on the log and counts towards prizes.

Arabian Horse Association

Current members of the Arabian Horse Association who enjoy riding their registered Arabian or Half-Arabian horse are eligible to participate in the association’s Frequent Rider Program. Members are assessed a one-time $25 fee and log their hours online or via a printable log. Similar to other breed associations, participants are not required to own their own horse, but instead may log their hours on any number of registered horses.

According to Abby Carpenter, awards and show results coordinator at the Arabian Horse Association, participating members earn prizes at such milestone achievement levels as 25, 100, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 7,500, and 10,000 hours. While each achievement level earns a bridle tag, as the number of logged hours increases, so too does the value of the prizes starting at travel mugs and moving to picture frames, leather portfolios, accessory bags, coolers, and even a jacket at the highest level. Like most breed association representatives, Carpenter sees the benefit of allowing Arabian horses to promote themselves in a wide variety of recreational riding activities and would like to see even more members take part in the program. As an incentive, the AHA has an updated recreational riding program in the works where members will be able to log competitive hours from open shows, along with non-competitive hours.

American Morgan Horse Association

Known as My Morgan and Me, the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) takes a slightly broader approach to its recreational program. Following some trial and error to find the most workable solution to host the program, the AMHA’s newest program guidelines now have members submit a $25 payment only when milestone achievements are reached. Gone are the days of a one-time enrollment fee.

“We had program participants not submitting miles because they weren’t eligible for an award,” says Carrie Mortensen, executive director of the AMHA. “It was confusing. Now, when you reach a milestone, you send in $25 whether it takes you three years or three days to earn the achievement.”

Participants can download the My Morgan and Me brochure, which includes a printable log, from the association’s website. But it isn’t mandatory to use this form.

“When I was doing it, I made my own spreadsheet,” says Mortensen.

Different from other associations, the AMHA does not require that the logs be turned in when reporting a milestone achievement. The logs are more for the participant’s records and benefit.

“It’s an honorary system for us,” Mortensen explained.

Once the achievement has been reported, the participant receives awards directly from the association’s headquarters or an electronic coupon for the AMHA Marketplace where they can purchase t-shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets.

“You can decide on the color and if you want to have your name embroidered on it,” she adds.

When a participant reaches the highest levels of achievement, such as 10,000 hours, they receive a small write-up and are featured with their photograph in the association’s magazine.

“We do love for people [of any achievement level] to submit electronic photographs with their application,” say says. “When an applicant puts in for a milestone, we always feature it on our Facebook page if they include a picture.”

Other key differences in the AMHA’s program are that membership is not required and any time with a Morgan horse, not just time spent riding or driving, counts toward milestone achievements.

“The majority of people that participate are not competing, they are trail riding,” says Mortensen. “They are hanging out with their horse at home. The majority, if they are doing a show, it’s at the local level.”

She said that Morgan horses often have long life spans, and the more relaxed program requirements allow members to record time spent with a horse who is older and may no longer be serviceably sound but their owners still want to feel as if they are a part of a greater organization.

Have you participated in a breed organization’s recreational rider program? Tell us more in the comments below.

The post Why You Should Participate in Horse Breed Association Recreational Riding Programs appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

In this third podcast episode of The Horse Illustrated Episode of Horses in the Morning, sponsored by Title Sponsor Straight Arrow Products, hosts Glenn the Geek and Sarah Evers Conrad talk to Mary Phelps, an international combined driver, who won a Gold medal in Cones at the 2019 FEI World Driving Championships for Ponies. We also learn summer horse health care tips from international veterinarian, Dr. Mike Tomlinson. And Carrie Mortensen, executive director of the American Morgan Horse Association, shares the magic of the Morgan breed with podcast listeners.

Hosts: Sarah Conrad, Digital Content Editor of Horse Illustrated & Young Rider and Glenn the Geek, host of Horses in the Morning

Title Sponsor: Straight Arrow Cowboy Magic

There’s an App for that!  Check out the new Horse Radio Network app for iPhone and Android. Follow Horse Radio Network on Twitter or follow Horses In The Morning on Facebook.

Guests

Mary Phelps is an equine insurance agent, photographer, and journalist. Mary created HorsesDaily.com in 1997, and it’s the oldest and longest-running website in equestrian sport. A lifelong equestrian, she is an FEI 3* athlete in combined driving. Together with her husband, Wayne Humphreys, Mary manages and trains her world-class driving ponies, competing at the highest level of the sport of combined driving. In 2019, Mary and her now world-famous driving ponies “The Gangsters” Al Capony, Bugsy Malony, Tony Da Pony, and Kimba competed for the U.S. in the FEI World Driving Championships for Ponies in Hungary, where they won an individual Gold medal in the cones phase and finished 12th overall. Bugsy Maloney and Tony Da Pony became part of the 2020 releases of Breyer model horses.

Links:

• How to Choose a Driving Horse
• Mary Phelps USA Wins Cones Division for Pony Pairs at the FEI World Driving Championships for Ponies
• www.horsesdaily.com
• Gangster Breyer Model Horses
• Facebook.com/HorsesDaily
• Twitter.com/HorsesDaily
• Pinterest.com/dressagedaily

Dr. C. Mike Tomlinson, DVM, MBA, offers summer horse health care tips. He has been a veterinarian, judge, course designer, steward, or technical delegate at around 30 FEI events each year, on nearly every continent around the globe since 1984. In 2018, he was the president of the Veterinary Commission 1 for the World Equestrian Games (WEG), Dr. Mike has represented the USA as Team Veterinarian at several Games and World Championships. In addition to FEI events and veterinary practice, Dr. Mike has been a ‘C’ level executive in many startups, both in and out of the horse world, including companies such as SmartPak, Game Ready, and Snap Seals. His technical time is spent working in chemical engineering, software coding, and medical device innovation. Dr. Mike is known for his constant energy, immunity to jet lag, and penchant for cartoon ties.

Carrie Mortensen is the executive director of the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA), which was founded in 1909 as the Morgan Horse Club and reorganized in 1971 to AMHA. She graduated with an Equestrian Science degree at William Woods University before obtaining her MBA at Xavier University. A longtime resident of Lexington, Mortensen feels fortunate to have gained a plethora of equestrian business skills from her past employment with organizations such the United States Equestrian Federation, The Jockey Club, and other breed associations. As a representative of AMHA, she now helps the organization in its mission to preserve, promote, and perpetuate the Morgan Horse breed.

The post Podcast Episode #3: Mary Phelps, Summer Horse Health Care, and Morgan Horse Breed for July 27, 2021; Sponsored by Straight Arrow Products appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) welcomed nearly 1,000 Morgan horses to the 2019 Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show. Held at the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., October 12-19, the best of the breed competed in a wide range of disciplines and classes running in four rings concurrently. Horses were shown in divisions including pleasure driving, English pleasure, hunter pleasure, in-hand, park, western pleasure, jumping, trail and more.

Complete results at the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show are available online.

Excellence in equitation is valued by the AMHA and is recognized through the AMHA Medal classes, held at local and regional Morgan and all-breed shows throughout the competition year. AMHA is pleased to announce the following riders as the 2019 Gold Medal recipients in their respective seats.

• Catriona Kozijn (Alberta, Canada)
• Alayna LoCascio (Dayton, Ohio)
• Sydney LoCascio (Dayton, Ohio)
• Nick Madsen (Cave Creek, Ariz.)
• Olivia Mauldin (Choctaw, Okla.)
• Moira Taber (Shoshone, Idaho)

Read more about the AMHA Gold Medal program.

Nineteen promising young Morgan exhibitors also competed in the AMHA Youth of the Year competition. Taylor Hudson of Fairview, Pa., took home the win as Youth of the Year and Clea Cloutier of Derry, N.H., was named reserve champion. Read more about the AMHA Youth of the Year program and results.

Megan Gallagher of Grass Valley, Calif., was awarded the $1,500 AMHA Young Adult Alliance Judging School Scholarship for her interest in earning her Morgan R judging card and strengthening the breed with other amateurs and professionals. Read more about the scholarship.

Follow AMHA and US Equestrian

The American Morgan Horse Association is a recognized affiliate of U.S. Equestrian. Keep up with future news of the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show® on Facebook and with the Morgan horse all year long by following AMHA on Facebook and Twitter.

Read More About the Morgan Horse:

• Morgan Horse
• The Morgan Horse
• Morgans for Everyone
• Driven to Succeed: Morgan

The post Morgan Breed’s Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show Wraps Up in Oklahoma City appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.